Concentrator



A. H. STEBBINS Aug. 19 1924.

CONCENTRATOR Filed April 11, 1922 ill 15 particles outwardly by centrifugal force so a 30 as completely as possible.

em -W19, 1934', I a I F 1,505,742 r i UNITED sTA-nas PATENT orncs.

ALBERT B'IEBBDIS, L08 GILES, GALIIOBNIA.

coucnma'ron.

Applleation fled April 11, 1922. Serial in. 551,590.

deflect inwardl the lighter materials that may approach t e discharge opening for the heavier materials. I

Other features of the invention and novel 60 combination of parts in addition to the above will :1): hfireinafter descri in connection 'wi t e accom anylng' wings" which illustrate one practical form thereof. y

In the To all whom it may concern..-

Beit known that I, Axmnnr H. S'rmmms, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the count of Los Angeles and State of California, ave invente an Im rovement in Concentrators, of which the i0 owing descri tion, in connection with the accom: ying awings, is a specification, like ?.aracters on the drawings represent- Y in like parts. i gs:

%' Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts shown m section of a concentrator-constructed in accordance with the aw invention;

F ga 2 is a; top plan view of Fig. .1 with m 1s mventlon relates to concentrators of the type in which the'materials to be treated are subject to the action of whirling air currents which serve to throw the heavier parts shown-in section; aw F 3 ice side view of the ur part that they may be removed from the lighter 1g of Fig. 1 s'howmgthe inlet =9 l-ll3 in particles.

The concentrator of the present invention section.

is well adapted for use iii the treatment of J In the embodiment of the invention 0 ores to separate the values from the usual shown 1n theidraw mm; or container impurities. In most ores the values are dis- 101s provided preferably at! in an tributed throughout a relatively large luptlght'positlon and 3 $3 terial, re-

amount of im urities or forei matter, and celvm hgpperill at its lower end. Within as a result t e values obtained constitute the l0--isprovid anair discharge a relatively small portion of the mass of ube 12-,extendmglengthw1se thef and materials treated. it is therefore imwrtant assmg out through the upper end 13 of the to reduce as far as ractical the er ine tube 12 prefely extends cenvolved in treating t is mass of 1 m: trally Within. the drum 10 throughout a and at the same time to remove the values subnantial p rtion of the length of the latter and may have its lower and open to admit air from the interior of the dr, as indicated by the arrows. The .materials. that collect within the hopper 11 may be discharged through the spout M which pref- W erably is provided with a trap 15 adapted to prevent air from escaping through the spout.

The material to be treated and the air bearing the same, should whirl about the interior of the drum 10 within the space ln ore treating mills it is customary to concentrate the materials at various stages of the ore treatment, and the materials commonly subjected to the first concentra- 35 tion operation while the particles are relatively large in size so that some of the values or concentrates may be removed at this stage, and other values or concentrates are removed at. succeeding stages as the in,

terials are reduced in size,

55 tion resides in means for directin the drumfrom a lateral wall t ereof to The present invention'lis designed more particularly for the treatment of ores or other materials in a finely divided condition where it is desired to separate thematerials in accordance with their difierences .in specific gravity; and an important feature of the invention consists in a drum or container in which the materials are caused to whirl so that. the-heavier particles are thrown outwardly, that they may be. re-

moved from the drum at different points leriiigthwise thereof in accordance with the di erences in specific'gravity.

Another important feature of the invenair .into

able means maythrough the conduit 16 into the drum, and

between the tube and drum with a downward spiral movement so that the heavier particles are thrown outwardly by centrif-' ugal force. Various means may be provided for imparting the desired movement .to the air and materials carried thereby, and in the construction shown a conduit 16 is providedextending tangentially into the drum 10' as shown in Fig. 2, and the cover 13 preferably has a spiral configuration that serves to direct the air downward within the drum. A fan 17 orother suit-:1

be provided to force air the air should enter the drum as close to the wall thereof as practical to impart a strong whirling movement thereto. The conduit 16 is therefore shown. as rectangular in cross-section (see Fig. 3) and a projection 18 extending inwardly slightly. from '3 one wall of the conduit serves to increase the velocity of. the air as it enters the drum.

The materials to be treated may be intro-.

duced into the air within the conduit 16 by means of .a ho per 19, or may be sus- 1o pended in the air passing through the an 17. As the air whirlsv about the interior of the drum the heavier particles are-thrown outwardly toward the walls of the drum l-while the lighter particles will occupy the space nearer the axis of the drum. To

' I remove these heavier particles, a slot 20 is provided within a wall of the drum 10 extending. lengthwise thereof so, that the 20 heavier particles traveling adjacent the wall may escape therethrough, and a lip 21 may be provided at the slot to extend into 'thedrumslightly and direct the particles traveling close to the wall through the slot.

The heaviest particles within the whirling air will be thrown outwardly against the walls of the drum near the upper end thereof, and the lighter particles will move outwardly less promptly. As a result the particles dischar through the slot may be graded by mtroducing the particles passing through difi'erent portions of the slot into different receptacles, and to this end a series of receptacles 22, 23, 24 and 25 are provided lengthwise of the slot. These leeeptacles are conveniently formed by pro vi a 26'exten'ding' lengthwise of the 10 over the slot 20 and having a part1t1ons 27 therein dividing the casing Q0 into the difierent receptacles. Todischarge materials fromthe difierent receptacles, downwardly extending walls 28 are rol within the casing 26 to form con nits provided at their lower ends -with the dis charg spouta 29, 30, 31 and 32.

. @Someofthe materials thatdomot pass throughthe slot 20 will move downwardly aloxtilgm the walls of the drum 10 to collect m drum.

il y al'r from this hopper and toend, in the construction shown, an inverted rcolne 33 is provided within the drum to close of the lower end the upper partofthe drum, and the cone has a small opening 34 through which the materials pass. The downward movement of the air may be further arrested by u from directl into the nend of we I p itescapesfromthecone35.'

- The discharge r 11 at the lower end of the admirable to prevent the down- In some cases it may be desirable toreduce the air ressure in that portion of the drum which ies below the cone 33, and to this end a pipe 37 may be provided leading slot 20. The defiectin air may be delivered into the drum throng one or more slots 38 disposed in spaced relation to the slot 20, and since it may be desirable tovary the strength of the air entering the different slots 38, the slots are provided with different -air supply means. In the construction,

shown a casin 39 is provided upon the outer surface 0% the drum over the slots 38, and this casing is divided into compartments by partitions 40. Each compartment eflect the lighter particles away from the dischargeis supplied with air by a pipe 41" and the.

-flow of air ineach pipe is controlled by a gate 42. The arrangement is such that blasts of air may be introduced through the different slots 39, and the strength of the air may be controlled so that it will deflect the lighter materials away charge slot 20, while it w 11 not be strong enough to prevent the heavier particles from escaping through this slot.

'The number of receptacles 22- may be from the di'svaried as desired and each receptacle will receive a different grade of material from 'the discharge slot 20. The very fine materials not discharged through the slot 20 or released bythe air to settle 1n the hopper 11- will pass out of the concentrator with the 'air that escapes through the tube 12. spouts 29,- 30, 31 and 32 preferably ead r into closed receptacles which prevent air from escaping through these spouts.

What is claimed is:

1. A concentrator comprising, in-combination, an upright drum having a material dis- 'slot extending a substantial distance charge: lengt wise of a side wall thereof, a tube mounted centrally within the drum and extendiig thno h an end thereof-for conducting from t e drum air from which the,

heavierparticles have been removed, means for 'delivering air bearing the materials. to

be treatedinto the drum at an'end thereof with'a whirling movement around said tube and lengthwise of the drum, to throw outwardl '-by centrifugal force the heavier artic es so that they will travel around the 51m adjacent the wall thereof and esca .from the drum through said slot in the Lacuna rection in which the particles are whirling,-

' 'flect from said slot the lighter materials that centrally within the may approach the slot.

2. A concentrator comprising, in combination, an upright drum having a material dis- 1 charge slot extending a substantial distance lengthwise of a wall thereof, a tube mounted drum and extending through the upper end thereof for conductof receptacles for ent gradesof the materials will enter difierand extendin 1 through the s conducting the heavier wardly y centrifugal force ing from the drum air from which the heavier particles have been removed, a conduit for delivering air bearing the materials to be treated into the upper part of with a downward whirling movement about said tube to throw outwardly by centrifugal force the heavier particles so that they will travel around the drum adjacent the wall thereof and escape through said slot, a series receiving materials from different portions of said slot so that dilferent receptacles, and means for forcing an additional supply ofair into the rum through a side wall thereof and in the form of a jet to deflect from said slot the lighter materials that may approach the slot.

3. A concentrator comprising, tion, an upright drum havin a material discharge slot extending a su stantial distance lengthwise of a side wall thereof, a tube mounted centrally within the drum and extending through an end thereoffor conducting from the drum air from whichthe heavier particles have been removed, means for delivering air bearing-the materials to be treated into the drum at an endthereof with a whirling movement around said tube and len hwise of the drum tothrow outthe'heavier particles so that theywill travel around the drum adjacent the wall thereof and escape from the drum-through said slot in the directionin which the. particles are whirlin means for separating the grades of materia that pass through different slot lengthwise thereof, anda hp at said slot in a direction to direct jacent the wall of the drum.

, 4.. A-concentrator comprising, in combina tion, an upright drum discharge slot extending .tance lengthwise'of a mounted centrally within the drum and exwall thereof, a tube tending through the upper end thereof for from the rum air from which particles have removed, a

tance lengthwise the drum conducting in combina- 4 discharge slot parts of the ot the heavier materials that' are-carried by the air aroundthe drum adhavingta material a su antial dis- 'lower rtl nof the means for receiving the materials that. pass.

through said slot, and means dispose at one side of said slot for forcing jets of air into the drum through a lateral wall thereof to deflect from said slot the lighter materials that may approach the slot;

5. A concentrator comprising, tion, an upright drum havin discharge slot extending a of a wall mounted centrally within the drum and extending through the upper end thereof for from the drum air from which the heavier particles have been removed, a conduit for delivering air bearing the ma' trials to be treated into the upper part of the drum with a downward whirling movein combinasu stantial disment about said tube to carry the heavier particles thrown outwardly by centrifuzal force through the slot and out of the drum in the direction in which the air is whirling,

' the materials that pass means for receivmg through said slot, means for forcing dilierent jets of air into the drum at points lengthwisethereofthrough a later wall to deflect from said slot the that may approach the slot, and independent means for regulatin the strength'of the air delivered by the di erent air jets.

6. A concentrator comprising, in combination, an upright drum having a material extending a substantial distance lengthwise of a wall thereof, a tube mounted centrally within the drum and extending through the upper end thereof for conducting from the drum air from which a material to carry the heavier centrifugal thereof, a tube 30 lighter materials V the heavier particles have'been removed, a

conduit for delivering air bearing the materials to be treated into the upper part of the drum with a downward whirlm movement about said tube to carry the heavier particles thrown outwardly by centrifugal force through the slot and out direction in which the air is whirling, means for receiving the materials that pass through said slot, means located at one sideof said slot for forcing jetsof air into the drum "through a lateral wall thereof .to deflect from said slot the'lighter materials that may approach the slotJmd baille means in the drum forarresting the downward movement of theair within the name to this specificat on.

. ALBERT H. STEBBINS.

of the drum in the In testimony whereof, I have signed my 

